Master John
by Mr. Anderson-Welcome Back
Summary: John is decomissioned after decades of serving the UNSC, but they still technically own him, not ONI or Halsey. This is what could happen after Halo 5. (I know this would never happen, but this is FanFiction, so just go with it). John is the only original character here because the rest are either dead and/or in the books. I've never read them. Rated M for bad words.
1. Backstory

**_Master John_**

 _ **Helmet**_

It had been several years since the Master Chief had his helmet taken off. It had to be detached by multiple people and a large machine with limber robotic arms last time. He hadn't had any food or water for weeks, maybe even months since he was forced out of cryo-sleep via Cortana. He somehow survived a nuclear blast, whilst holding said nuclear warhead. He figured either he was so bad at what he does, that he can't accidentally nuke himself, or he's so lucky, that he can't nuke himself. Either way, he survived all of that; he didn't think he would always survive. Humiliation was good for him though. Perhaps it made him more human than before. He also discovered that he enjoys virtual dating, for when Cortana saved him, he was moved more than ever.

So, now, there he was, eating his two scoops of Jamoca ice cream in a waffle cone outside Baskin-Robbins. It cost him $20; that was pretty expensive back then, in the 2550's, but now it was cheap.

He, of course, wasn't wearing the MJOLNIR armor he was recognized for. In fact, he was about half a foot shorter without it. He **CLASSIFIED CLASSIFIED CLASSIFIED CLASSIFIED CLASSIFIED** with **CLASSIFIED CLASSIFIED CLASSIFIED**. His **CLASSIFIED ** was surprisingly **CLASSIFIED ** considering his stature. It was actually quite humorous how small he was in comparison to the actual suite. Without it, he could easily be mistaken as a marine suffering (in his case benefiting) from gigantism.

So far, John was the only other SPARTAN II to legally "retire" jointly by the UNSC and ONI; the other SPARTAN II to do this (and so far, to do it successfully) was Maria-062. Occasionally, an average of four times a year, he would be called back in to quell a large group of terrorists and insurrectionists on nearby systems. The farthest out he'd ever been since retirement was Titan. Something having to do with a mad scientist harvesting its core.

He walked home, knowing well that it's more beneficial and cheaper than driving. Cars aren't worth buying to John; sometimes he rode the bus, caught a flight here and there, but the majority of his travel was spent walking. He tried biking once; it soon collapsed under his own power.

He didn't have a job; ONI wouldn't permit it. Instead, he got three monthly checks, one from ONI, the UNSC, and from Halsey's investors. It was a little more than a sustainable amount, but with the absence of purchasing a car and only living in a small apartment complex, his financial situation was more than fine, making him upper middle-class.


	2. Chapter 1: Bankruptcy

_**Bankruptcy**_

"They _what_?! That's not the worst of my problems? Oh, no. That _is_ worse. Well, I'll consult my lawyers if that's what I need to do to get paid for the damages. Oh, I know it's not my fault; it's obviously ONI's. Alright, they will be notified. Thanks. Mhmm. Bye."

"Who was that? What was that about?"

"Ugh... Well, now literally almost everyone knows almost everything there is to know about the SPARTANs, thanks to some top-ranking UNSC screw-ups."

"What did they say, John?"

John hesitated. "David... Please don't get me started."

"It's bad isn't it?"

"Oh, no. Just life-altering for the worst. ONI... Has filed for bankruptcy. I would know this because that was one of Halsey's former investors telling me they sold all of their assets. Now, insurgencies can mass-produce their own cheap knockoffs of Mjolnir-clad super peasants."

"Actually, no, they won't because ONI was a branch of the UNSC, and business is booming there, baby! Anyways, why is this?"

"Says here they were getting way over their heads with making SPARTANs as 'perfect' as possible."

"Oh, no! That means Halsey was forced to file for bankruptcy too! Game over man! Game over! What the fuck are we gonna do now?! We're screwed!"

"I can save our side of the galaxy repeatedly within months, but I can't get financial reprimands within a year? Mm... David, we're screwed."

"I just said that, but don't worry. The UNSC has the best lawyers at their disposal, and I'm one of them. You'll be fine."

"No, I won't. The odds were almost always stacked in their favor against any opponent of any type, except the ones that count. That, and they have even better lawyers, probably in excess and on reserve, than even you. Trust me, it's a compliment."


End file.
